Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Pre-Season Game Day 1: vs Titan

SAINT JOHN
- For the first time since March 7, the Saint John Sea Dogs will play a hockey game.

Tonight's matchup against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan may just be a pre-season game, but there is perhaps some playoff-like excitement for it. After months of wondering when - or even if - this day would happen this summer/fall, here we are. Sea Dogs hockey is returning to TD Station.

The Sea Dogs will host the Titan - the team they were scheduled to play just before COVID-19 shut down the remainder of the 2019-20 season - this evening at 7 p.m. in front of a small number of Season Ticket Members.

Both teams should dress fairly solid lineups this evening given the roster limits for this year's training camps. The Sea Dogs lineup should feature a good mix of returnees and newcomers.

TV/Radio/Webcast: None/Sea Dogs Radio Live/None

2020 pre-season records: This is the first game of the QMJHL pre-season for both clubs.

2019-20 records: The Sea Dogs finished the shortened season with a 30-33-1-0 record for 61 points (fourth Maritimes, sixth Eastern, 11th QMJHL) while the Titan were 12-40-8-4 for 36 points (sixth Maritimes, 10th Eastern, 18th QMJHL).

Last games: The Sea Dogs ended last season with one of their worst loses, falling 8-2 on March 7 at TD Station to the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Charles Savoie and Kale McCallum scored Saint John's only goals. Zachary Bouthillier made 34 stops in the loss. The Titan last played on March 8, falling 7-1 on home ice to the Cape Breton Eagles. Noah Delemont scored Bathurst's lone goal. Felix-Anthony Ethier made 25 stops in the loss.

2019-20 head-to-head: The Sea Dogs were 7-1-0-0 against the Titan last season while Bathurst went 1-6-0-1 against Saint John.

Last meeting: Feb. 17 at TD Station where the Sea Dogs defeated the Titan 5-4. Josh Lawrence, Alexandre O'Neill, Joshua Roy, Jeffrey Durocher and Anderson MacDonald scored for Saint John. Mathieu Desgagnes scored twice for Bathurst while singles came from Logan Chisholm and Yan Aucoin. Noah Patenaude made 34 stops in the win. Tristan Berube made 27 saves in the loss.

Ex-Sea Dogs on the Titan: Goaltender Tommy DaSilva.

Titan to watch (if he plays): The Sea Dogs have a long history of having trouble against former goaltenders. DaSilva doesn't have great career numbers in the QMJHL, but the odds of him playing well against his old club are high.

Random stat: William Villeneuve recorded 11 of his 49 assists last season against the Titan. Villeneuve led the league is assists by defensemen.

Notes: Saint John's Liam Leonard (if he plays) will take on his former team... this is the first of seven pre-season games for the Sea Dogs... Mathieu Desgagnes is the Titan's highest returning scorer. He registered 27 goals and 24 assists in 61 games last season, which included six goals against Saint John... below is Bathurst's camp roster. They've since added defenseman Frank Jenkins.
Out of town:
Rimouski at Québec - 3:00 PM EDT
Chicoutimi at Baie-Comeau - 5:00 PM EDT
Sherbrooke at Drummondville - 7:00 PM EDT
Blainville-Boisbriand at Gatineau - 7:00 PM EDT
Val-d'Or at Rouyn-Noranda - 7:00 PM EDT
Victoriaville at Shawinigan - 7:00 PM EDT

Next game: The Sea Dogs are in Bathurst on Thursday night at 7 p.m.

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